PRESS RELEASES
AVAILABLE NOW: Veronica Swift’s “Confessions” on Mack Avenue Records
AVAILABLE NOW on Mack Avenue Records
Rising Young Vocalist Veronica Swift
Shines Light on Oft-Overlooked Songs with
Relatable Meaning on New Album, Confessions
Album Features Bands Led by
Benny Green and Emmet Cohen
Photo Credit: Raj Naik
“Swift is a 25-year-old vocalist of nimble grace and
forceful disclosure, as if Annie Ross had gotten more of
Sarah Vaughan’s influence.” – The New York Times
“…Veronica Swift, whose voice is possessed of such
personality and maturity that she must be one of those
25-year-old’s who has always been an old soul.” – NPR Music
“At 25 years old, Veronica Swift possesses the cool confidence
of a seasoned performer. Elegant onstage, the up-and-coming vocalist
can slide seamlessly from a difficult syncopated rhythm to a wistful love song
to a fresh arrangement of an old standard.” – JazzTimes
“…Swift stakes her claim as one of the most irresistibly
talented jazz vocalists of her generation.” – DownBeat
“A born be-bopper, it’s literally impossible not to love the energy
that 25 year old Veronica Swift brings to her game. Soulfully infused with
an infectious passion for jazz past and future, she is building a grand foundation
for a long and colorful career, guaranteeing plenty of great performances
and listenings along the way.” – All About Jazz
At just 25 years old, Veronica Swift has built a résumé that even many late-career jazz singers would envy: tours as a featured vocalist with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Chris Botti; a guest collaboration with Michael Feinstein; engagements at A-list clubs like Birdland, Jazz Standard, Dizzy’s Club and Jazz Showcase; gigs at top festivals including Monterey, Montreal and Telluride, where she’s headlined. She began performing with her musician parents, the late pianist Hod O’Brien and the singer/educator/author Stephanie Nakasian, as a child, and in 2015 she earned second place in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition, the most prestigious contest in the art form. In other words, her command of the vocal-jazz tradition is astounding.
Now comes Confessions, Swift’s first effort for Mack Avenue Records and her proper breakout debut. On the album, alternately accompanied by Benny Green and Emmet Cohen, two of the finest jazz pianists of their respective generations, Swift showcases the powerfully expressive, deliciously evocative voice that’s garnered her so many distinguished opportunities. But there’s more – some X-factors that, in their stealthy way, make Confessions smarter, riskier and altogether deeper than even the most stellar Songbook record.
For Swift, it starts with the tunes. What she’s looking for is an inspired narrative – the kind of story-songs she can use to mend her own wounds, to connect with the shared humanity in her audience and to remind listeners that perseverance leads to healing. “You’re carrying this heavy burden of something you’ve experienced,” she begins, “and how are you going to unload it? With music.” The trick, Swift explains, is to “share your story without getting too personal about it.” The result of Swift’s concept is a 12-track program filled with oft-overlooked gems that hold a special yet adaptable meaning in the young singer’s life.
Just as Swift is able to use her research and taste to shine a light on undervalued songsmiths, her voice evokes singers beyond the usual triptych of Ella, Sarah and Billie (though she conjures them up plenty, too). Instead, her touchstones stretch further back and look between the cracks to include stylists like Peggy Lee, Dinah Washington, June Christy, Connee Boswell, Ethel Waters, Mildred Bailey and, especially, Anita O’Day, whose elegant moxie permeates Confessions. Like O’Day, Swift is also a musician-first kind of leader and arranger, who immerses herself into her accompaniment and lets her players stretch out. With personnel like this, we should feel thankful she does. Green’s band includes bassist David Wong and drummer Carl Allen, and Cohen’s trio features bassist Russell Hall and drummer Kyle Poole.
Confessions is a masterful document of her current moment, a beautifully crafted business card for her far-reaching skillset. “It presents a story of my history and why I play this music,” she says. “But what I really hope people get out of this record is that no matter what happens, just stay focused, stay on your course and everything will turn out OK. Because if there’s anything I’ve learned from playing music, it’s that.”
Veronica Swift · Confessions
Mack Avenue Records · Release Date: August 30, 2019
For more information on Veronica Swift, please visit: VeronicaSwift.com
For media inquiries, please contact:
DL Media · 267-541-2784
Maureen McFadden · maureen@dlmediamusic.com
Matthew Jurasek · matthew@dlmediamusic.com
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